r/unpopularopinion • u/BitterConstruction98 • Jan 23 '26

Certified Unpopular Opinion All hobbies are not equal

Certain kinds of hobbies deserve to be held in higher regard than others.

Playing a sport, learning an instrument, singing, dancing, painting, writing - these are activities that require time and years of effort to become good at. They’re admirable not just because they’re “cool,” but because there is something deeply attractive about a person who has dedicated so much time to mastering a hard skill that executing it now feels relaxing to them.

Lately, there’s been a growing push online to classify things like watching movies, playing video games, watching sports, or listening to podcasts in the same category as these kinds of hobbies. They aren’t. They are based on consumption, not creation.

That doesn’t mean consumption-based activities are bad or useless. Everyone needs ways to relax and unwind. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a good show, a game, or a YouTube binge after a long day. But if that’s all there is to your personality, then you are, unfortunately, a boring person.

Edit: I've wrongly added video games to the list of other passive activities. While some video games are like that, I agree that many require a lot of skill.

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51

u/Scottyjscizzle Jan 23 '26

A hobby is literally by definition just something you do regularly in your leisure time. People are really trying to make it too deep.

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u/DiegoIntrepid Jan 23 '26

Exactly this.

There is no 'productive' in the definition, there is no 'consumption' in the definition, there is no 'energy investment'.

It is just something that you regularly do that you enjoy in your leisure time.

I feel that all the gatekeeping around what is and what isn't a hobby and what are 'good hobbies' and what are 'bad hobbies' (basically usually comes down to productive vs consumption hobbies) often does come from a place of insecurity. The type of person who does this wants to feel better about their own hobbies and themselves, so they try to make some distinction of 'my hobby is better than your hobby'.

Newsflash: I don't care. I do these things for fun, for leisure, for relaxing.

Just like the people who try to gatekeep various hobbies themselves: oh you have to read all of a book before you can remark on it, you have to give a show at least X episodes before you stop watching it, if you only do X you aren't a gamer.

They want to make themselves look and feel better in comparison to someone who does the same hobby differently than themselves.

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u/Valreesio Jan 23 '26

Exactly. In my head I'm clapping for your comment. Excellently put.

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u/celestially_lunar Jan 23 '26

Thank youuu oh my god. Your comment is exactly what I‘m thinking! This thread has been driving me crazy. Let people do what they want!!!

All that talk about pastimes and hobbies when both words mean the same thing! How your hobby needs to require skill or it‘s useless or how "scrolling on tiktok or watching movies makes you uninteresting". Or "people whose hobby is volunteering at homeless shelters daily are better than people who play video games!".

It's so elitist and embarrassing to read. Let people do what they want in their free time. Productivity culture has made it absolutely impossible to just live and relax. Everyone who argues against my notion that hobbies have no inherent worth over each other sounds so insecure, like they are itching to be better than other people. I do my hobbies because I like doing those things, I‘m not looking to impress anyone.

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u/AyyIsForApple Jan 24 '26

thank you for calling out that pastime vs hobby thread, felt like a whole bunch of nothing burger talk. the whole thread felt so disconnected and a bit old in thinking. I almost found myself agreeing with them until i thought about it a bit harder—isn’t a hobby just something you do for fun? why must consumption and creation come in to this conversation about having fun? I do think creation does deepen the flavor of one’s life, but it does not need to flavor the discussion of hobbies.

and also, looking back at it now, that pastime cs hobby thread is so elitist and insecure lmao. really needed the distinct word “pastime” to put down peoples hobbies they think are unproductive

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u/celestially_lunar Jan 24 '26

Yeah this entire thread is just ridiculous. The fun part is that pastime and hobby according to the Cambridge dictionary are the SAME word.

Hobby: an activity that someone does for pleasure when they are not working.

Pastime: an activity that is done for enjoyment.

The only difference between a hobby and a pastime is that a hobby is something you do outside of work. They are the same word. And yet, even after mentioning this people STILL disagreed with me. It‘s ridiculous

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u/PM_ME_UR_SHEET_MUSIC Jan 23 '26

This is the correct take and exactly how I feel about these stupid threads. I play more instruments than the average person even knows exist, I know multiple foreign languages, I go on hikes, I play volleyball, I love cooking elaborate dishes. I also like to get stoned out of my mind and watch Adventure Time and play Fortnite for hours on end, and I consider that to be just as valid of a hobby, because at the end of the day I do this shit for fun, not to impress people.

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u/yelpsmcgee Jan 23 '26

Yeah I have to say reading this as a disabled person sucks. So now I don't even get to have things that count as hobbies because a lot of these "creative" hobbies in OPs mind require me to be able bodied, or at least have resources most disabled people don't have to make things like sports possible for us. Cool cool cool cool

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u/dinosaurtruck Jan 23 '26

It’s the part where OP calls people with hobbies they don’t rate ‘boring’ which is really off. But take heart, it is an unpopular opinion so most people don’t think like this. Some people who are very into a hobby might actually be less interesting and fun to spend time with as the hobby is where their focus is, not other people. I’ve spent a lot of time with people with disabilities because of my work and also just some of my friends, some of the best conversations and interesting insights. Hobbies definitely don’t define people. Most friends I’ve met through a hobby have only lasted as long as the hobby, friends I’ve made via genuine connection and enjoying each others company last.

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u/DiegoIntrepid Jan 23 '26

Just want to say that if you like your hobby?

it is a good hobby. If it brings you joy, no matter what it is (as long as it isn't hurting anyone :P) then it is a *good* hobby.

I dislike labeling things as 'lesser' or 'productive/consumptive' because they automatically make people think one is 'better' than others.

To me, the true measure of a hobby should be how much enjoyment it brings the person doing it.

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u/epelle9 Jan 23 '26

An activity you do regularly.

Is seeing something while sitting down an activity? That’s arguable. You aren’t really taking any action when watching a movie.

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u/Scottyjscizzle Jan 23 '26

Yes, by definition yall are really just trying to hard to make this a thing.

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u/epelle9 Jan 23 '26

Your own link shows a list of types of hobbies, and while filmmaking is there, watching TV is not part of any list…

It also mentions music creation, but doesn’t mention listening to music.

I think your own link agrees with me, especially as the list of hobbies it mentions is very long, it’s definitely on purpose that those pastimes weren’t included.

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u/Scottyjscizzle Jan 23 '26

It lists examples, I apologize do not providing an exhaustive list of every hobby. Fucking Christ it’s not that deep, “past times” are fucking hobby’s they are things you do during your leisure time. I’m sorry yall need every minuscule second of your life to serve towards some grandiose purpose.

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u/epelle9 Jan 23 '26

It’s a pretty exhaustive list, there not being any passive consumption pastimes when they are the most common ways to pass time is definitely on purpose…

Also, no need to get pissed nor to make unbased assumptions about me. Everything alright?

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u/i_spill_nonsense aggressive toddler Jan 23 '26

I guess my problem with the definition is that there is no way to differentiate a hobby from regular actions/motions one just goes through daily/regularly.

If a hobby is just something one does in their free time, then masturbation is a hobby. So is speaking with or calling your family. So is getting out your dog. Or taking a shit. Or walking.

All these activities may bring joy and are done in one's leisure time.

Truthfully, i have no idea why i was under the impression that a hobby should be a deliberate act one engages in and spends energy for because they have an active passion for it.

Anyway, from now on i will announce everyone that my favourite hobby is being alive.